History of Blackdown Camp

[QJN]

Good evening all,

 

I have recently bought a house on the Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut and wondered if anyone could help me work out what exactly was on the plot before our house was built on it. 
 

My house is on the old Recruitment and Liaison building on Newfoundland Road in the Princess Royal Barracks. 
 

Is there anyone who has any knowledge on what this building or site was before? Any maps or photos would be amazing!

 

Many  thanks in advance

[Jrmh]

1920 OS Map - any use?

 

https://maps.nls.uk/view/101436790

[QJN]

Great map, thank you!

Just trying to work out which section of Deepcutbridge Road that is, Newfoundland Road was built coming off of Deepcutbridge Road so must be their there. 

[Moonraker]

Welcome to the Forum. We have a number of threads that refer to Blackdown Camp, but in the most promising, of January 2006, the images no longer load. Happily a number of old postcards are listed on eBay.

[FROGSMILE]

Some interesting old mapping here: https://lightwater.wordpress.com/2017/11/27/maps-reveal-the-history-of-deepcut-and-bisley-camp/  Perhaps you could contact the blogger “Lightwater”.

There’s also Surrey Heath Borough Council who are likely to have old maps and plans used during planning: https://www.surreyheath.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/residents/planning/planning-policy/Deepcut/DeepcutSPDFinalmedresReg19.pdf

Edited 27 July , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[Jrmh]

 

8 hours ago, QJN said:

Great map, thank you!

Just trying to work out which section of Deepcutbridge Road that is, Newfoundland Road was built coming off of Deepcutbridge Road so must be their there. 

 

Overlay various maps on satellite image here:

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15&lat=51.31324&lon=-0.70067&layers=172&b=1

[NigelS]

Between the Mindenhurst development & the Basingstoke Canal it is still just possible to find remaining parts (trackbeds/embankments) of the 'Bisley Bullet' (ie the Bisley, Deepcut, Blackdown Railway) branch line  (shown on the NLS maps) which linked from the main line at Brookwood to Blackdown Camp (via Bisley, Pirbright & Deepcut) during the Great War with this section  dismantled shortly thereafter (these are accessible & can be seen from the foot/cycle path which runs from Deepcut Bridge road down to the canal at Frimley Lock with part of the route using what was the track-bed.) Sadly, some parts  - including the remains of the engine shed (visible on https://maps.nls.uk/view/101436760) foundations which survived until about a year ago - were destroyed as part of the Mindenhurst development's construction.  

More details can be found in the booklet 'The Bisley Camp Branch Line' by Peter A. Harding & John M. Clarke) https://www.john-clarke.co.uk/bisleybranch.html

The 'Swimming Bath', which can be seen to the NW of Frimley Lock on the NLS map still survives as the foundations of the canal depot building adjacent to the foot/cycle path. The building is far more recent, being built during the canal's restoration for lock gate construction, but part of the bath's original brick walls can still be seen (albeit through heavy duty gates) to the left & right of the short entrance track leading to the large white doors at the eastern end of the main depot building. Other than the 'Tin Tabernacle' Garrison Church of St Barbara ( https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1180168 ) I believe this to be the only other remaining structure that would have been around during the Great War.

NigelS